Filing structure



Sept. 25, 1928.

"r, BUTTERWORTH FILING "STRUCTURE Filed July 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet N @MWN THQMA a C. Burn-R weary elk Mun,

Sept. 25, 1928.

- 1,685,448 T. C. BUTTERWORTH FILING STRUCTURE Filed July 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet EOMAS C. BUTTEHWOI? T11 Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES ,448 PATENT OFFICE;

THOMAS c. BUTTERWORTH, or MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.

FILING s'rnucrunn.

Application filed July 7,

This invention relates to filing structures and isparticularly designed for use in filing data pertainin to real estate or similar transactions. fiowever, it is to be understood that many other'kinds of data may be filed in the structure provided by my invention, and it is further understood that my invention is not confined to the specific structure hereinafter described, and which is shown in the accompanying drawings.

An object of my invention is the provision of a novel, economical and efiicient filing structure.

With the foregoing object in view, to-

gether with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, this invent-ion resides in the construction and arrangement of arts hereinafter described and claimed, and i lustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a unit filing structure of my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the broken line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing a cover and a thrown backwardly.

t V igure 4 1s a fragmentary plan view of a map, a plurality of which may be filed in the structure of my invention.

Figure 5 is a. plan view of a data card which may be filed in the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a vertical section through part of the structure shown in Figure 1, and illustrating how a plurality of cards illustrated in Figure 5 may be held together.

Figure 7 is a perspective View of a card holder employed in my improved structure, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a holder which is also employed in the structure shown clearly in Figure 2.

The structure which I have chosen to illustrate as embodying my invention, is shown in the drawings as comprising an elongated,

rectangular drawer adapted to be placed in a cabinet and to be withdrawn therefrom. It may be mounted for sliding movement in any suitable well known manner.

The drawer comprises a bottom 10 provided at its four corners with hemi-spherical bufiers 12 to be yieldingly brought into resting contact with any surface when the drawer is removed. The drawer is divided into four compartments by a transverse partition 15 1926. Serial no. 121,027.

and longitudinal partitions 16 and 17, whereby the drawer has four compartments numbered 18, 19, 20 and 21. .1

The compartment 18, herein shown, is adapted'to receive more or less large sheets containing data, and these sheets, numbered 22, may be maps for example. According to my invention I provide means for retaining the maps 22. in place, and such means are herein shown as comprising spring members 25, shown in perspective in Figure 8 and in section in Figure 2.

The spring members 25 comprise arms 26 and 27. The arms 27 extend through apertures 28 in the maps and the end portions of the arms 26 and 27 are formed into arcuate open loops 29 and 30- respectively. These looped portions pass through apertures 31 in the back 32 of the drawer and fit around and resiliently press against those horizontal edges of the back 32 which adjoin the apertures 31. It will thus be readily appreciated that the members 25 efiiciently retain the maps in place and are readily removable from the drawer when pressure is exerted on the arms to bring them toward each other.

A cover 35, hinged at 36 to the back of the drawer, is provided to cover the maps 22, and has a flap 37 for raising the cover.

The filing devices in the compartments 1'9, 20 and 21 are alike, so that these devices need be described for only one compartment; and the compartment 19 will be chosen for description.

The compartments 19 are adapted to hold in place data-bearing cards 39, provided with apertures 40 as shown in Figure 5-. The filing devices shown comprise two spaced parallel rows of aligned card retaining members 41 Which are shown in perspective in Figure 7 and in cross section in Figures 2 and 6, the latter figures showing these card retainin members holding cards 39 in place, the car retaining members passing through the slot 40 of the cards. f

It will be seen from Figure 1 that each retaining member in compartment 19 is o posite another retaining member so as to orm a pair, which together hold one set of cards, one of the members passing through one of the slots 40 in the set of cards retained thereby, and its corresponding retaining member passing through the other slots 40 in the same set of cards. The card retaining members, 41 comprise legs 45. Depending from the ends of a bridge piece 46, feet 47 extend Inn downwardly from the bottoms of the legs 45,

as shown in FigureQ, and is more clearly pieces50, shown in section in Figure 2, are

flat and are lower than the bridging portions 46 of the members 11. The br dging .mem-

bers d9 are disposed transversely to the card retaining members 41,.and. bet-ween theadj acent legs 15 of the latter. r

The members 49 are provided with feet 52 which extend on their side of the feet at? of the card retaining members ll and which are secured to the bottom 10 ot the drawer, The card retaining members 41 are resilient so that when their legs are pressed toward each other they may be removed from the members 49 so that another card may be added to the cards already filed, it being understood that the members 419 do not press tightly down on the feet 17 of the card retaining members 41.

I have shown and described a structure which is useful for many purposes for the general indexin g of matter while holding certain data cards or the like in such proximity to other matter to be displayed so that one can be read or observed in connection With. the other. The arrangement is such that the subdividing ot'the drawer disposes the data or index cards 39in the same focal plane with the maps or the like 22 so that one may glance at and make reference to and readings of the matter contained thereon in connection with a particular one of the cards 39that pertains thereto. For this reason I find itmore appropriate to place the compartment 18 at the rear end of the drawer and to provide the door with a stop lug 35 which comes a inst the adjacent end wall 01": the drawer,

thereby serving to hold the door at the in clination shown in Figure 3 where it serves as a rest for the map 22 being displayed.

The structure provides means wherein the The feet 47 of the card retain cards 39 are partially locked in place, for vertical filing and unobstructed observation at all times as well as a system affording pro quickly assembled, selected as desired and observed without removing same from their intended order in the system. It is flexible.

and may be expanded or made to accommodate-itself to respectively increasing and decreasing numbers of cards employed, it being obvious that the members 41 maybe made in sizes to suit changing conditions. Also does ittollow that I may alter the numberot' compartments employed. The members 41 are freely removable as desired to efie'ct their use tor transferpurposes without changing the order of the cards carried thereby. They are slightly resilient to permit oftheir quick removal. or replacement.

1. A filing structurehaving abottom, de tachable members adjacent one end of the structure adapted to retain sheets having apertures therein by passing through said apertures, said structure having an end with apertures therein, said members comprising open spring loopseach having a pair of arms extencnng respectively through said apertures, the upper arm of each loop having a raised portion over which. the sheets may he giiassed, said raised portion functioning to hold the sheets temporarily in thrown-back position, the legs of the loops having arcuate endportions whichfit around and resiliently press in opposite directions against the-edges of said end surrounding said apertures.

2. In a structure of the character described, a drawer, a set of large sheets hinged to the rear wall thereof so as to occupythe rear section of the drawer and a plurality of sets of cards hinged to the front portion of the drawer. V r

3. In a structure of the character described, a backing, a line of transversely ar ranged arches fastened thereto in spaced relation, and a continuous line of longitudinally arranged arches removably anchored. in the transverse arches.

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